By Chaplain Sonny Hernandez
As the new year begins, Christians in the U.S. military should carefully reflect upon all of the attacks against religious liberty in 2016 and all of the ominous threats that may be on the horizon. The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) has an undisguised aversion toward anything that identifies as Christian, as they bloviate on social media about contributing to the removal of Christian sentiments as a result of their legal action and petulance. This is why defending religious liberty is a necessity.
Christians should never omit their faith and adjure others to do the same out of fear that sincerely held theological convictions could be suppressed by legal bullies who have an insatiable appetite to curtail religious sentiments they abhor. When religious liberty is threatened by those who pervasively induce panic with legal browbeat, Christians must not be yield, or be silent, or religious liberty could be abridged. Instead, when Christians are persecuted for their faith, they must be reminded that sacrifice is corollary to the pursuit of defending liberty.
The Constitution is for all Americans, to include Christians, and must be upheld as sacrosanct. The Founding Fathers established America as a Christian nation, and blood has been shed by patriots to secure the blessing of liberty for all Americans and their posterity. This is why Christians must never yield to anything that could potentially usurp the blessings of freedom.
Remain steadfast
If you are currently serving as a Christian in the U.S. military, you may have been informed that sectarian prayers are prohibited, religious convictions cannot be espoused in public (private only) and that evangelism is forbidden. If you have, please be assured that all are fallacious, as there is nothing in the Constitution, military policies, rules, regulations, or the law that prohibits sectarian prayers, religious convictions in public or evangelism.
You have God-given rights. You were created in the image of God and endued with a living, reasonable and immortal soul. The Constitution evinces every American of an indispensable fact that certain unalienable rights were endowed by their Creator. The light of nature and the works of God plainly declare that there is a God, which is why Christians can rest on the protection of divine providence (Declaration of Independence).
Bible-believing military chaplains are ready to help. Military chaplains are supposed to be the embodiment of the Constitution when they discharge their duty to provide for the free exercise of religion. When Christians in the U.S. military are threatened directly or subliminally because of their faith, it is imperative that the government is reminded that promoting one religion over another, or restricting an individual’s religious practices, is unconstitutional and forbidden (First Amendment). A Bible-believing military chaplain will provide a clear trajectory for you in helping to defend your right to express your sincerely held theological convictions.
Display Christian boldness
As I stated, America was founded as a Christian nation. Although times have changed drastically, as bold Christian expression appears to be desolate because of fear that someone will complain, make threats, or complain, you do not have to follow suit.
George Washington, the first U.S. president, did not hesitate to promulgate his Christian faith when he publicly reminded the populace that every nation has the solemn responsibility to “acknowledge the providence of the almighty God,” and to beseech the Lord for protection. Who did Washington appeal to for victory? Just before the Battle of Long Island, Washington stated, “Let us, then rely on the goodness of our cause, and the aid of the Supreme Being, in whose hands victory is, to animate and encourage us to great and noble action.”
Consider John Adams, the second president, and his unyielding commitment to his Christian faith. What caused Adams to recommend a national day of prayer, fasting and humiliation in 1799? It required sincere piety, fervency and importunity to provide such a recommendation. Adams’ recommendation required every American to acknowledge their manifold sins and to seek penitence, reformation and holiness, because without such no one will see God (Hebrews 12:14).
If your Christian faith is ever besieged by someone who is averse to God, do not allow your constitutional rights to be silently encroached or contravened in any way. Instead, follow the examples of Washington and Adams, by trusting in the Lord, imploring His providence and praying:
“…if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.” (2 Chronicles 7:14-15)
Chaplain (Capt.) Sonny Hernandez is a U.S. Air Force Reserve chaplain assigned to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. In April 2015, he was selected as the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Individual Mobilization Augmentee Company Grade Officer of the Year, and in May 2016, he was selected as 445th Airlift Wing CGO of the Quarter, first quarter. Hernandez earned a Doctorate from Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are solely his and do not necessarily represent the views of any government, military, or religious organization. Sonny Hernandez wrote this article as a civilian on his own time on an issue of public interest.
